Weidner Philharmonic Heads to Green Bay Botanical Garden for Outdoor Concert
Weidner Center Invites Audiences to First In-Person Event in More Than a Year
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [April 5, 2021]
GREEN BAY – The Weidner Center for the Performing Arts is heading to Green Bay Botanical Gardento bring Weidner Philharmonic back to the stage as they perform “Walton’s Façade: An Entertainment” on Sunday, May 23, 2021 at 3:00pm in the Billie Kress Amphitheatre.
This concert will mark the Weidner Center’s first in-person live performance in over a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We greatly look forward to gathering together in the beautiful surroundings of the Green Bay Botanical Garden for a spring concert. We have been unable to welcome audiences into our facility since March 12, 2020 so this will be a gift for our musicians and our audiences. We are especially excited for the Weidner Philharmonic to play Walton’s Façade, full of so much humor, whimsy and surprise,” said the Weidner Center’s Executive and Artistic Director Kelli Strickland.
In order to comply with safety policies, the concert will implement staggered admissions and socially distanced seating. Masks will be mandatory for concert attendees when moving from one location to another outside or inside any buildings. View more on the Green Bay Botanical Garden’s COVID-19 policies at gbbg.org/coronavirus/.
Beverage concessions will be available for purchase. The Green Bay Botanical Garden invites concert goers to pack a picnic to enjoy in the gardens. Beverage carry-ins are not allowed. Please refer to the Green Bay Botanical Garden’s website for more information on visitor policies.
“Walton’s Façade: An Entertainment” is an exciting series of poems by Edith Sitwell (1887-1964), accompanied by instrumentals composed by William Walton (1902-1983). Despite being highly controversial for its absurdist avant-garde nature upon its debut in 1922, Walton’s Façade: An Entertainment survived its notoriety to become an essential tongue in cheek classic.
Featured Weidner Philharmonic performers include: Kortney James (Flute), Rich Tengowski (Clarinet), Sam Stranz (Saxophone), Adam Gaines (Trumpet), Michael Dewhirst (Cello) and Bill Sallak (Percussion). With narration by Courtney Sherman joined by a surprise guest narrator, under the direction of Randy Meder.
Tickets go on sale Tuesday, April 6, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. and can be purchased at ticketstaronline.com or by calling Ticket Star at 1-800-895-0071.
About the Weidner Philharmonic
Buoyed by the strong community response to the orchestral concert that opened its 25th anniversary season in 2018, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay music faculty and UW-Green Bay’s Weidner Center for the Performing Arts, announced the establishment of the Weidner Philharmonic. The Weidner Philharmonic will showcase the talents of UW-Green Bay music faculty, as well as other accomplished orchestral musicians who live and work in the region, in the outstanding acoustical environment of Cofrin Family Hall.
About the Weidner Center for the Performing Arts
UW-Green Bay’s Weidner Center for the Performing Arts is known for its elegant design and the acoustic excellence of its 2,000-seat main hall, Cofrin Family Hall. It also houses two smaller performance spaces, the Fort Howard recital hall and the Jean Weidner Theatre, along with a dance studio and Grand Foyer. The Weidner Center has a distinct benefit in being part of a leading institution of higher learning. The Center is a home for UW-Green Bay Music and Theatre and Dance programs, community events and productions, and performances by visiting artists and touring companies. Beyond the large-scale touring productions that grace the stage, the Weidner Center also focuses on scholastic development, programming and an impactful education series — Stage Doors. For more information on the Weidner Center, visit www.WeidnerCenter.com, 920-465-2726, 800-895-0071, or follow ‘Weidner Center f
